1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to refrigerant recovery and more specifically a refrigerant tube piercing tool capable of being removably and sealingly mounted on a refrigerant tube of copper or the like in a sealed refrigerant system to enable the recovery of refrigerant from the sealed system without discharge into the atmosphere. The tool includes a pair of clamp members one of which includes a sealing member and passageway combined with a threaded, pointed piercing member that is manually threaded into engagement with the tube for forming a hole therein and a fitting having a Schrader valve incorporated therein to which a hose leading to a recovery tank can be connected to enable refrigerant to be transferred into the recovery tank for subsequent use. The tool is reusable and can be removed after the refrigerant has been transferred into the recovery tank in order that the leak or other problem with respect to the refrigerant system can be repaired at which time the hole formed in the tube is closed by soldering or the like with the refrigerant system then being recharged.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) have been used for many years for refrigerants in various refrigeration systems. "Freon" has been used as a heat transfer medium in various refrigeration systems such as household refrigerators and freezers, air conditioners and the like. Recently legislation prohibits venting of refrigerants into the atmosphere since it is believed that the refrigerants have a detrimental impact when released into the atmosphere. Accordingly, a service technician must first recover the refrigerant from a sealed refrigeration system prior to repairs being made. Various efforts have been made to recover the refrigerants by transferring the refrigerant to a recovery tank for reuse after any contaminants have been removed.
The following U.S. patents relate to this field of endeavor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,252,475 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,686 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,497 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,633 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,132
While the prior art utilizes permanent line taps or access valves soldered onto a refrigerant tube, such valves are not allowed to remain on sealed refrigeration systems after repairs have been completed. The prior art does not disclose a reusable tube piercing tool which is clamped onto the tube after which a piercing member is actuated manually to pierce a hole into the tube with the piercing member then being retracted while maintaining the sealed integrity of the refrigerant due to a seal around the piercing member and a Schrader valve in a discharge fitting adapted to be threadedly connected to a charging hose that extends to a recovery tank and which will open the Schrader valve when attached to a threaded fitting on the tool.